Soldier’s family mulls appeal of trio’s release

By Rich Chang / Staff reporter

The family of late army corporal Hung Chung-chiu (洪仲丘) said it is considering appealing a court ruling to release three soldiers who had been detained since late August.

The Taoyuan District Court on Tuesday ruled that Colonel Ho Chiang-chung (何江忠) be released on NT$500,000 bail, former company commander Major Hsu Shin-cheng (徐信正) on NT$250,000 bail and Staff Sergeant Fan Tso-hsien (范佐憲) on NT$400,000 bail, but banned them from moving from their current home or leaving the country.

The court said the trio, who are to return to their military units, are unlikely to escape. In addition, the questioning of suspects and witnesses for the trial had been completed, and so they would not be able to collude on their statements.

Hung Tzu-yung (洪慈庸), Hung Chung-chiu’s elder sister, said the men told the court that they had been unable to go home for more than two months and missed their families, but her brother will never be able to go home again.

The family and its lawyers are discussing whether to appeal the ruling with the High Court, and would make a decision soon, she said.

Hung died three days before his mandatory term of military service was up, due to heat exhaustion allegedly caused by intensive training while in confinement barracks.

Following an amendment to the Code of Court Martial Procedure (軍事審判法) in August, the corporal’s case was transferred from the Military High Court to the Taoyuan District Court.

Ho, Hsu and Fan had been detained on charges of destruction of, falsifying of and tampering with evidence, as well as collusion on testimony.